ANAHEIM >> Their fans were already resigned to wait until next year. Maybe the new calendar is what they needed.

The Ducks’ first home game of 2016 was one of their very best in 2015-16. They scored two goals in the first 10 minutes, something that normally requires a week. Their power play worked and they won 16 of 20 first-period faceoffs. They thrashed Winnipeg, 4-1, and are suddenly on a 4-0-2 run.

Rickard Rakell scored a goal and seemed to be riding a personal gyroscope all night. John Gibson lost a scoreless streak that spanned over three hours of game time, but that goal was deflected off the stick of Carl Hagelin and past Gibson. Consdiering how agonizing it’s been for Hagelin to put a puck in any net, that was almost encouraging.

“I thought we played a pretty complete game,” said Kevin Bieksa, who got his first goal of the season. “We gave up, what, 20 shots? And not many of them were grade-As, and obviously we’re getting great goaltending.”

Since the Christmas break the Ducks have played as if they’re actually engaged in their profession. If they needed to check their resolve, Cam Fowler’s knee injury provided that opportunity.

The Ducks have been fairly lucky with injuries. They’re still missing defenseman Simon Despres (concussion) and the absence of Nate Thompson, due to shoulder rehab and then a suspension, was far more damaging than people think, Thompson was 8-0 on faceoffs in that decisive first period Sunday. He plays the game at a high temperature, and the Ducks are 6-2-2 when he’s dressed.

But Fowler’s injury could have been a major downer. He is the club leader in ice time and was the de facto leader of a back line that had held up its end pretty well. Even now the Ducks are fourth-best in preventing goals and third-best in preventing shots on goal.

So the Ducks reached down for Shea Theodore, their top draft pick in 2013 and a dominant puck-moving defenseman in the Western Hockey League.

Sunday was Theodore’s fourth game in relief of Fowler. He was averaging 16:15 of ice time in the first three, and the Ducks gave up one goal in regulation in those games. His gaffes were hard to spot and his passing ability and poise were apparent, and he looked just as comfortable Sunday night.

He basically ran the power play for a while in the second period against Winnipeg and got a couple of hard shots through, and his breakout pass began the sequence that led to Ryan Kesler’s goal late in the third period, which gave the Ducks a 4-1 lead. Yes, four goals, scraping up against the realm of possibility. It would have been five if Theodore’s third-period drive had gotten inside the post.

“He’s a Canadian kid and he got called up for his first game in Canada, so I know that meant a lot to him,” Bieksa said. “I told him to enjoy himself, don’t put pressure on himself, and he looks like he’s playing carefree. He’s been good, been steady. “

Ducks fans are a little tired of hearing about prospects and the future and all the stuff that never seems to get here. But the back line Sunday night included Theodore (20 years old), Josh Manson (23), Hampus Lindholm (21) and Sami Vatanen (24). That doesn’t count Brandon Montour, a 21-year-old defenseman who has 28 points in 30 games for the San Diego Gulls and may have moved alongisde Theodore on the priority list.

“A couple of times I’ve been matched up against the top units on the other team,” Theodore said. “Handling it well has given me more confidence. On the power play they’re just telling me to get my shots through to the net, because you’ve got such shot-blockers up here.

“Is the game faster? It’s another step, sure. But the guys I’m playing with are faster, too, so it kind of breaks down the speed of the game.”

Such a trove of defensemen might give general manager Bob Murray some flexibility at the trade deadline, now that it appears the Ducks won’t be completely buried. All they have to do is get to third place in the Pacifist, uh, Pacific Division, and this win pushed them to 39 points, tying third-place Vancouver.

“Ryan Kesler said it a couple of weeks ago,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “He was tired of losing.”

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